Tinie Tempah: The Breakthrough

Posted by Scott A. Marlowe|July 19, 2011August 11, 2013|0

Tinie Tempah: The Breakthrough

Posted by Scott A. Marlowe|July 19, 2011August 11, 2013|0

Tinie Tempah is a superstar over in the U.K., and he’s trying to breakthrough here in the U.S. with his hit single featuring Wiz Khalifa titled “Till I’m Gone,” off his debut album Disc-Overy. He talks about how he got the name Tinie Tempah. Angela asked him about breaking through in the U.S., given how hard it is for U.K. rappers to have success in the states. He talks about hip hop being different in London saying: “What we class as rap, and how we rap, and the stuff we rap over, is very different from, especially New York, [and] what you guys consider hip hop.” He talks about his hometown being supportive of him and selling out the O2 Arena. His first single “Pass Out” went straight to number one and he likes it to the success of 50 Cent’s “In Da Club.”

He talks about American rappers going over to London and getting robbed. He says: “One it’s like a trophy thing. Because to some of the ignorant London boys, they feel like they have no respect.” He says Americans don’t believe London has hoods and that people are gangster. “A few ignorant people will try to prove themselves” he says. “And secondly, because when a lot of American rappers come over, they come with a lot of egos, and so much more security then they need.” He talks about Young Jeezy going to the hood in London and said everyone respected him.